Marina Grande, Capri

Marina Grande is the main port of the island of Capri in Italy, to the north of the main town of Capri and at the foot of Mount Solaro.

Map showing location
Marina Grande, Capri
Marina Grande
Marina Grande, ca. 1880 (photograph by Giorgio Sommer)

History

The Marina Piccola, on the island's southern shore, preceded the Marina Grande; it was used by Augustus and Tiberius.[1] An ancient fishing port, the Romans used the Marina Grande as a port during Augustian times, and built the Palazzo a Mare nearby.[2] Tiberius fortified and reinforced Marina Grande.[3] Capri was also the first point in Campania in which the Greeks landed and women on Capri are still said to "still sometimes show distinctly Grecian features".[4] In the seventh century, Bishop Costanzo died near Marina Grande and became the island's patron saint;[5] the Chiesa di San Costanzo is situated between Marina Grande and Anacapri.[6]

Geography

Marina Grande is located on the northern side of the island. Travel between the Marina Piccola and the Marina Grande occurs by circling around the Faraglioni stacks. Before 1928, docking took place directly in the bay, but it has since been developed into a port and seaside resort with a notable beach, which is the largest on the island.[7][8] A small square overlooks the port surrounded by "the characteristic houses of Capri, rendered typical by the terraces, the balconies, the open galleries and the multi-coloured facades of the town, brightened by the "Pompeian red", which is one of the most intense notes of colour along the whole Neapolitan coast."[2] The town is also characterized by steep terraced slopes with Mediterranean flora. A Corinthian capital lies on a high pedestal at the end of the western wharf, testament to the Roman presence in the area.[2]

Transport

Boats operate between Marina Grande and Naples on the mainland, and also on excursions to visit the Blue Grotto.[9] Funicolar, the cableway which is run by SIPPIC,[10] connects the harbour to the city centre's Piazzetta;[11] as does bus with Anacapri.[12][13] As of 2012, the price of a one way railway ticket to Capri town was 1.50€.[14]

Tourism

Notable hotels include Villa Marina Capri, Hotel Excelsior Parco Capri, Relais Maresca, and Hotel Bristol. Ristorante Pizzeria Lo Zodiaco lies on the harbour front. An annual festival in honour of the Madonna della Libera is held on the Marina Grande in the middle of September.[15]

References
  1. Dickens, Charles; Ainsworth, William Harrison; Smith, Albert (1854). Bentley's miscellany (Public domain ed.). Richard Bentley. pp. 39–. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  2. Valdés, Giuliano (1 September 1996). Naples, Capri, Sorrento: the pearls of the Gulf. Casa Editrice Bonechi. p. 38. ISBN 978-88-7009-713-9. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  3. Valdes, Giuliano; Fabbri, Patrizia (2009). Capri. Le Bellezze Di Capri. Ediz. Inglese. Casa Editrice Bonechi. pp. 17–18. ISBN 978-88-476-2491-7. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  4. Baedeker, Karl (1903). Italy, Handbook for Travellers: Southern Italy ad Sicily, with excursions to the Lipari islands, Malta, Sardinia, Tunis, and Corfu. 14th rev. ed. 1903. K. Baedeker. pp. 156–8. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  5. Constantius of Capri is very poorly documented, but may be the same as Constantine I, Patriarch of Constantinople - see Santiebeati.it - San Costanzo di Capri.
  6. Ring, Trudy; Salkin, Robert M.; Boda, Sharon La (1 January 1996). International Dictionary of Historic Places: Southern Europe. Taylor & Francis. pp. 121–. ISBN 978-1-884964-02-2. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  7. "Port of Marina Grande". Italy Guides. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  8. "Capri Marina Grande". Capri.com. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  9. Facaros, Dana; Pauls, Michael (1 May 2004). Italy. New Holland Publishers. p. 893. ISBN 978-1-86011-113-6. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  10. Frommer's ShortCuts (5 April 2012). Capri, Ischia and Procida, Italy: Frommer's ShortCuts. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 17–. ISBN 978-1-118-19895-7. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  11. "Funicolar, isle of Capri". ItalyGuides.it - ComPart Multimedia. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  12. Capri. Ediz. Inglese. Casa Editrice Bonechi. 2005. p. 7. ISBN 978-88-476-1757-5. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  13. Bonetto, Cristian; Quintero, Josephine (1 January 2010). Naples & the Amalfi Coast. Lonely Planet. p. 138. ISBN 978-1-74104-509-3. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  14. Frommer's (24 May 2012). AARP Italy 2012. John Wiley & Sons. p. 624. ISBN 978-1-118-25836-1. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
  15. Baedeker, Karl (1903). Italy: Southern Italy and Sicily, with excursions to the Lipari islands, Malta, Sardinia, Tunis and Corfu. 13th rev. ed. 1900 (Public domain ed.). K. Baedeker. pp. 157–. Retrieved 5 July 2012.

Hotels

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